Mailers are widely used types of business forms. It is desirable to be able to manufacture mailers as simply as possible, yet provide a high degree of versatility and functionality thereof. One particularly desirable form of mailer, which has four plies (and can have inserts provided therein too) is constructed from a single sheet of paper having particular strips thereon, is shown in FIGS. 8 through 12 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,251. The mailer illustrated therein is very desirable, however it has a drawback in that a return envelope is not provided therewith. It is desirable to provide a return envelope with a mailer to facilitate the return of a portion of the mailer to the addressor of the mailer.
According to the present invention, a mailer type business form is provided which has the advantages of simplicity of manufacture, and functionality of the end product, of the mailer of FIGS. 8 through 12 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,251, and also has a return envelope associated therewith. The return envelope is formed utilizing a small panel in a quadrant of the sheet itself, and is constructed in a simple manner that does not interfere with, or have any significant affect on, the speed or manner of production The invention also comprises an intermediate for a mailer, and a method of manufacture of the mailer.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an intermediate of a mailer type business form is provided which comprises the following elements: A quadrate ply having first and second faces. First and second orthogonal fold lines separating the ply into first, second, third and fourth quadrants, the first and third quadrants diagonally dispose with respect to each other, the first and second quadrants separated by the second fold line, and the first and fourth quadrants separated by the first fold lines, and each of the quadrants of the quadrants having two free edges. The first face of the first quadrant having outgoing addressee information thereon, and the first face of the fourth quadrant having adhesive strips adjacent the first fold line and two free edges thereof, but not adjacent the second fold line. The second face of the first and second quadrants having adhesive strips adjacent the two free edges thereof, but not adjacent the fold lines. A first perforation parallel to the first fold line and on the opposite side of the fourth quadrant adhesive strip adjacent a free edge from that free edge, and extending through the fourth and third quadrants. A second perforation parallel to &.he first perforation and extending through the first and second quadrants spaced from the free edges thereof the same distance the first perforation is spaced from the free edges of the third and fourth quadrants. Third and fourth perforations parallel to the first perforation, and spaced an equal distance from, and adjacent, the first fold line, the third perforation extending through the third and fourth quadrants, and the fourth perforation through the first and second quadrants. Fifth and sixth perforations parallel to the second fold line, and adjacent but spaced from the free edges of quadrants parallel to the second fold line, the fifth perforation extending through the first and fourth quadrants, and the sixth perforation though the second and third quadrants. A first panel, for cooperating with the second quadrant second face for forming a return envelope, having dimensions less than the dimensions of the second quadrant between the second fold line and second, fourth, and sixth perforations. And, adhesive means for attaching the first panel and the second quadrant together to form a return envelope.
Address information is provided on the first panel, as is an adhesive strip. A fold line is also provided on the first panel adjacent the adhesive strip, which is preferably transfer tape. The fold line overlies a seventh perforation in the quadrate ply, extending in the second panel parallel to the first fold line. The adhesive means is preferably adjacent the second fold line on the fourth and sixth perforations, but not the second perforation.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a mailer type business form is provided. The mailer comprises the following elements. First, second, third, fourth, and fifth plies. Adhesive connecting the first ply to the fourth ply along two edges thereof. Adhesive connecting the fourth ply to the third ply along three edges thereof. Adhesive connecting the second ply to the third ply along two edges thereof. Adhesive connecting the second ply to the fifth ply to form a return envelope, the return envelope disposed between the third and second plies. Perforations along the side edges of the ply, inside the adhesive, to provide removable edge strips of the plies so that the plies may be separated from each other by detachment of the edge strips. And, one of &:he panels formed by separation of the plies comprising a return envelope.
The invention also relates to a method of forming a multi-ply mailer type business form with return envelope from a single ply sheet having first and second faces, and a panel. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Applying adhesive strips to the first and second faces of the single ply sheet. (b) Positively guiding the panel into contact with a predetermined adhesive strip on the second face of the single ply sheet, the panel and a portion of the single ply sheet cooperating with it forming a return envelope. (c) Forming perforations, and first and second orthogonal fold lines, in the single ply sheet. And, (d) folding the single ply sheet about the fold lines into quadrants so that the single ply sheet forms two outer plies and two inner plies, with the panel between plies. The panel has tractor holes along one edge, and step (b) is practiced by feeding the panel with a drive mechanism which engages the tractor holes. There is also the step (e) of cutting off a strip containing the tractor holes. There is also preferably the step of applying transfer tape to the panel. Steps (a) through (d) are preferably practiced consecutively and continuously, the sheet being part of a continuous web, and then there is the further step of separating each sheet from adjacent sheets in the production of the mailer.
It is the primary object of the invention to provide for the ultimate construction of a mailer, with return envelope, from a single ply sheet and panel in a simple yet effective manner. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.